競争

• Reading: きょうそう
• Romaji: kyousou
• Kanji breakdown: 競 (kyou/kiso) — compete, vie; 争 (sou/araso) — contend, fight
• Pronunciation: /kjoː.soː/

Meaning

Competition; contest; rivalry. The act of competing against others.

A noun that functions as a suru-verb (競争する = to compete). Used in both physical competitions (races, sports) and abstract ones (business rivalry, academic competition). Related words include 競争相手 (kyousou aite, competitor/rival) and 競争力 (kyousouryoku, competitiveness). Can have both positive and negative connotations.

Examples

1. クラスメートと成績を競争しています。 I'm competing with my classmates over grades.
2. 企業間の競争が激しくなっている。 Competition between companies is getting fierce.
3. 子供のころ、兄と走る競争をよくした。 When I was a kid, I used to race my older brother a lot.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, business, school

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 競 (kyou, to compete/vie) and 争 (sou, to contend/fight). Both kanji contain the idea of struggle — together they emphasise active rivalry and contest.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal